With the opioid epidemic making headlines every week, it's understandable to be worried about the risk of addiction if you or someone you love has been prescribed opioids. However, you must remember that opioid medication does play a vital role in the management of chronic pain for certain individuals. It does these patients a disservice [...]
Talking to kids about a parent's substance abuse problem isn't easy, but this is a conversation you simply can't ignore. Brushing the topic aside gives children the message that addiction is a shameful family secret. Instead, plan to discuss a parent's decision to seek treatment in an age-appropriate manner—setting the stage for open and honest [...]
I recently spoke with a young man who was “having a problem with opiates.” In actuality, he was trying hard to convince both himself and me that his prescription medication abuse wasn’t serious. Certainly he felt it would be wrong to call himself an “addict.” The hard facts make it impossible to offer comfort or [...]
Choosing Addiction Rehab If you had a disease that could kill you without an operation, my guess is that you would diligently seek a well-qualified surgeon with an excellent track record in hopes of saving your life. Why then do people often select a treatment program for drug and alcohol addiction without equal dedication? While [...]
Addiction is a strange disease. There is no swelling, no bleeding, no obvious signs that prove a sickness dwells within. Its presence can be masked for years and the behavior it encourages blamed upon a hundred other sources. No other disease is known by three universal symptoms that manifest in virtually every sufferer, yet cannot [...]
